The End of the Rainbow
by PerilousPrinny
Summary: Rainbow Mika's pro wrestling career has come to an abrupt end, but her love of the fight is far from dead. Will she be able to make it as a genuine street fighter? To what lengths will she go? How far will she travel? Who will she find to train her?
1. Losing the Crowd

"Glad you could make it. Come in, sit down. Make yourself comfortable."

When the commissioner of the All-Japan Wrestling Alliance invites you into his office for a private meeting, it either means something very good, or very bad. With the way Mika's last few months had gone, she wasn't feeling optimistic.

The worst kept secret in the world, if it can even be considered a secret at all, is that professional wrestling is... well... fake. Though Mika hated that term. Anything else- staged, predetermined, choreographed- and she would freely admit it, but _fake_ was a such a slap in the face to the strength, agility and overall athleticism wrestlers so often had, and Mika was no exception. Though she could have easily found herself complacent she kept to her training, and month by month, week by week, even day by day found herself stronger than ever.

However, since wrestling is all those attributes: staged, predetermined, choreographed... strength and skill means little toward the overall outcome. If the script said you lost, you lost. And Mika had done more than her share of losing; the title she had held for seventeen months slipping farther and farther away with each pinfall.

"Let me get right to the point, Mika. There's no way I could say that you haven't been an incredible asset to us. That publicity stunt you pulled a few years back, going around battling street fighters... that worked out better than anyone could've ever dreamed. It put us on the map. It put you on the map."

"Thank you, sir, but I don't-"

"But fans are fickle. They always have been and they always will be. Your cheers are getting weaker, merchandise sales have slipped... people are getting bored with the old, tired themes. What you need is a refresh, Mika. A character change. You understand?"

"But... this isn't a character! I don't go out there spouting fake nonsense, and I never will. This is the genuine article. I am Rainbow Mika!"

"Yes, you are, and you've been saying that for months now. Do you really wonder why you keep losing?"

"Sir... the fans still love me, if only they could-"

"Fans are easily captivated, and easily swayed, but only if they have something new, fresh, and exciting to spend their money on. And right now, that isn't you. But you're a great fighter, Mika, and that's why I'm giving you this opportunity. I wouldn't do this for just anyone, and I hope you understand that. It doesn't have to be major, just a change in personality, a change in attire, hairstyle... at the very least you can get rid of that mask-"

"No one sees me without the mask."

"I honestly don't see what the point of it is. It barely obscures any of your facial features. It's obvious what you look like underneath it."

"The mask _is_ Mika!"

The commissioner sighed softly, hanging his head. Under his breath Mika could hear a faint whisper: "I tried."

"Hm?"

"I knew you were going to resist my suggestions. It pains me to say this, but if you're going to be this stubborn, I really have no other choice. Next month your contract will be up for negotiation. We will not be renewing it."

His words hit Mika like a punch to the gut, and unlike many in wrestling, one that wasn't pulled. "Sir! I-I..."

"The Board of Directors feels that the comparatively significant amount of money your contract grants you could be better served finding new prospects, perhaps ones that are receptive to change."

"But... if you give me a chance, I'm sure that-"

"I have been the accommodating one here, Mika. You haven't."

* * *

The month came and went, and Mika's matches became fewer and farther between, not that it made any difference in her win column. Finally, she was released, and all she could do was sit around her apartment, depressed and dejected. Fortunately, she had saved enough money to not have to worry about the rent, at least for a few months, but that only staved off the problem; it didn't solve anything.

Sure, there were plenty of other wrestling organizations around Japan that would gladly sign her. Maybe even some in America. However, would they force her to change herself just like AJWA tried? It was a possibility that didn't sit well with her. She had been nothing but herself for years; why fix a machine that wasn't broken?

Street fighters didn't have to worry about that, she mused, sipping a glass of juice as she lay on the couch. It didn't matter who you were or what you were like. People cheered you out of speed, strength, and skill; personality took a hard backseat. Applause and uproar at every punch, kick and toss...

That was it. The entire time, the solution was right in front of her.

Not to go around the world fighting street fighters again, but to become one herself. No more staged fights. No more pulled punches. No more staying pinned just because the script told her to. It was a brilliant plan. Finally, she would be able to show off her true strength.

However, as soon as the plan emerged, doubt crept back into her head. Street fighting was fun; she knew that firsthand. But it wasn't easy, and she knew that firsthand as well. There were a lot of great fighters out there, and for many of her matches she just barely scraped by. Perhaps with additional training...

At the thought of training, her mind immediately went to Zangief. If anyone could train her into becoming the toughest fighter in the world, it would be him. However... not only hadn't she heard from him in quite some time, but becoming his disciple would mean uprooting all the way to Russia. As much as Mika would love sparring with Zangief from morning until night, she loved Japan too much to simply abandon it if there were other options.

"But how else am I ever going to become the greatest street fighter in the world?" she wondered to herself.

"Do you want to become the greatest street fighter in the world?"

The excellent timing of the television stunned Mika, sitting up suddenly and knocking her juice to the ground.

"Are you a wuss? A total wimp? Do 98-pound weaklings kick sand in _your_ face?"

This was hardly applicable to Mika, but her gaze stayed affixed upon the TV anyway as a pink-clad man appeared onscreen.

"I'm world-acclaimed street fighter Dan Hibiki, and I'm here to teach you the greatest style of martial arts in the world! My style! Saikyo! For a modest fee, I'll turn you from the laughingstock of the gym into a hard-hitting, rough-kicking, Gadouken-tossing force of nature! All thanks to me!"

Mika, as well as anyone well-versed in street fighting, knew about Dan Hibiki, and not necessarily for the reasons he'd like. She couldn't help but crack a smirk at the very idea of her learning Saikyo.

"Don't think you have the ability to be trained by a true innovator of unarmed combat? Not so! I'll take anyone, and I mean _anyone_, and teach them the fierce art of Saikyo! As long as you have the money, of course. I've got bills to pay too, you know. Just head down to the Saikyo dojo. Classes are starting soon and are most certainly going to fill up quick this time, so this is your one chance to find out what true strength is really all about. Saikyo style: the greatest in all of street fighting."

As the commercial ended, Mika's chuckle turned into a giggle and then a legitimate laugh. Dan Hibiki. Saikyo dojo. Ridiculous. But then, as she pondered her thoughts, the laugh suddenly ceased.

"I can't believe I'm seriously considering this."


	2. Saikyo Mika

"I'm actually going through with this," Mika said to herself, sounding genuinely surprised.

Dan Hibiki was right about one thing: he had built himself a solid reputation in the world of street fighting. However, the reputation was as a showboating buffoon who will crumple into the dirt at the first punch, a man whom losing to is the ultimate insult. Hardly the type one wanted to emulate.

Then again, Mika thought, what about that Sakura girl? She's way stronger than her looks belie, and didn't Dan train her in the first place? Maybe he's a better teacher than a fighter, or something... and besides, didn't he beat Sagat that one time? Sure, everyone's bound to have a bad day, but you have to be tough as nails to get as much as a fluke victory over someone like Sagat. Unless he threw the fight or something, but why the hell would he ever do that, and to _Dan_ of all people?

Maybe Dan just gets lucky sometimes. And sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.

If one positive thing could be said about the Saikyo dojo, it was at least spacious. Of course, that spaciousness probably had something to do with how there didn't seem to be anyone in it. Mika looked around, confused, wondering if she somehow managed to get the wrong address.

"Hello?" she called out. "Is anyone here?"

Dan sprung to life, emerging from his nap in the back office, all smiles, and why not? Someone came in! He has a student! The first step into becoming a respectable... wait a minute.

Dan knew this young woman looked familiar, but he couldn't but his finger on it. Crazy blonde pigtails, inexplicable mask... he knew he had seen her... somewhere... oh well. Not like it made a difference. Even if she was a fighter she was clearly here to abandon her old style and learn Saikyo, and good on her for it! More people should get over their arrogance and realize that Saikyo is truly the strongest of styles, Dan thought.

"Hey there! Come in, come in!" Dan said happily. "So you're here to learn Saikyo, are you? Well, that's great! What's your name?"

Mika was somewhat pleasantly surprised that Dan didn't seem to know who she was, though that might soon change. "Mika, but I'm more commonly known as Rain-"

"Mika, huh? It's an alright name for a fighter, I guess. Could be better, could be worse. I'd introduce myself, but of course you already know who I am! I'm Dan Hibiki, grandmaster of Saikyo style!"

"Right, of course-"

"So how about you? You might not hold a candle to me, but you look like you've done some fighting before. What's your style? Some sort of kung fu, some kickboxing, maybe a little judo?"

"Well actually, I'm a professional wrestler. I'm Rainbow Mika."

"Pro wrestler?" Dan began to laugh. "You mean you get in that ring and have some of those fake fights?"

Mika looked at him sternly. "If you want to put it that way."

"Well then, it looks like I'm going to have a lot to teach you. But that's okay! Anyone can become a student of Saikyo with practice and determination! So let's see what you can do!"

Dan took a few steps back and stood firmly, hands on his hips.

"Hit me."

"Excuse me?" Mika asked. He wasn't serious, was he?

"Go ahead, hit me as hard as you can. I can take it! I don't want you throwing any of those fake wrestling punches either. I won't even try to block! Just one hard shot."

"Well... if you say so."

Mika steadied herself, reared back and slammed a right hook into Dan's stomach. At first he didn't seem to have any reaction at all. Maybe she really wasn't that strong. But then... wait... is he... crying?

"That wasn't... too bad there Mika, for a rookie anyway," Dan said, the speech coming out in short, stilted bursts as he dropped to one knee. "Don't mind me, I'm just... a bit tired today... was training until the late hours last night, of course... so I didn't get much sleep. But I would certainly say that you have the talent necessary to become a master of Saikyo. But it's still... not going to be... easy..."

"Are you okay?"

"What? Bah, of course I'm... fine... I'm just tired, and maybe a little ill... that fish I ate last night probably didn't agree with me..."

"You sure? You told me to hit as hard as I could-"

"Ha! If that was as hard as you could, then... you wouldn't last a minute in a real street fight!"

"You know, I have been in street fights before..."

"Sure you have. So has everyone, right? Well you're wrong. You don't know what a street fight is like until you go face to face, look them straight in the eyes, and taunt to the crowd!"

"I think I know how that feels- wait, what? Taunting to the crowd is the most important thing?"

"Absolutely! Street fighting isn't just for muscleheads, you know. You have to make good use of your brain as well as your brawn if you want even a prayer of standing a chance. And the best way to demoralize the mind is psychological warfare!"

"So... you taunt them?"

"Of course! Get under their skin, let them know that you don't think anything of them! Make them make a mistake. It's the best way to win. For some of us, the only way to win."

"I see. You know, it sounds silly at first, but actually that makes a lot of sense."

"Well, of course it does! I said it, didn't I? So let me see what you got. Give me your best taunt."

"Alright... promise I won't hit you this time-"

"I told you, stomach sickness! Maybe some sort of enzyme problem. Anyway, taunt me!"

"Alright..." Mika took a few deep breaths before pantomiming a microphone in her left hand. "Listen here, Dan! You're say you're tough enough to face me?" Mika yelled, walking closer, approaching Dan's face until the two were nose to nose. "To pin me? To beat me? You've been saying this for weeks now, months! But that's all you do is talk. You won't fight me, yet you know you're better than me 'cause that's all you'll ever say! Well, guess what? I say I'm sick and tired of your posturing, and if you have half as much guts as you do words you'll prove yourself once and for all by taking me on, in the ring, tonight!"

Dan looked on, stunned as well as a bit afraid, not like he'd admit it. Mika backed away slowly, setting her imaginary microphone down on an imaginary table in the process. "So... how was that? Was that alright?" she asked, a bit of a blush beginning to emerge on her face.

"Well... yes! Of course!" Dan said, partially out of not wanting to anger her. "It's a bit long, and we're going to have to work on that, but certainly good for a beginner! I'm very confident in your abilities, Mika! You're going to make me famous!"

"The grandmaster of Saikyo style isn't already famous?" Mika said with a chuckle.

"Absolutely! But not as famous as I could be, of course! There are a lot of street fighters in this world, you know. Even some of the strongest in all the world are bound to be overlooked by the biased press!"

"Or the booking team."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing... go on."

As Dan rambled on Mika couldn't help but smile. Sure, this seemed like the dumbest idea in the world at first, but it was starting to make more and more sense. While it was likely she had more raw ability than her master, it was just that, raw, and needed to be refined. And Dan Hibiki of all people would be the one to refine it.

Somewhere along the line, the plan went from crazy to just crazy enough to work.


End file.
